LOCATION BARNELLCREEK WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy, glassy over mixed, superactive, frigid Humic Vitrixerands
TYPICAL PEDON: Barnellcreek ashy silt loam - on a 12 percent, west-facing footslope at 4,400 feet elevation, under a Douglas-fir canopy. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)
01--0 to 1 inch; needles, leaves, twigs, and cones.
A1--1 to 6 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; 10 percent subrounded pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary.
A2--6 to 27 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; 10 percent subrounded pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 20 to 35 inches.)
2Bw--27 to 43 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; few coarse roots; 20 percent subrounded pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 22 inches thick)
2Cd--43 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dense glacial till that crushes to very gravelly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; few fine faint strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; 30 percent subrounded pebbles, 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Colville Indian Reservation; Okanogan County, Washington; about 8 miles northeast of the town of Disautel; 2,400 feet south, 1,900 feet east of the northwest corner, sec. 11, T. 34 N., R. 29 E., W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 43 to 46 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry between depths of 8 and 24 inches for 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 20 to 35 inches thick. The upper part of the 0 to 40 inch particle-size control section has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.65 to 0.85 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 1.0 to 2.0 percent, 15-bar water retention of 5 to 12 percent, and apparent field estimated clay of 8 to 15 percent and 0 to 15 percent rock fragments. The lower part is 5 to 15 percent clay and 15 to 35 percent rock fragments by weighted average. Depth to densic material is 40 to 60 inches.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It contains 0 to 15 percent pebbles.
The 2Bw horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry. It is gravelly loam or gravelly sandy loam and contains 15 to 25 percent pebbles, 0 to 5 percent cobbles.
The 2Cd horizon has value of 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly sandy loam, or very cobbly sandy loam and contains 20 to 40 percent pebbles, 5 to 20 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral. Moist bulk density is 1.70 to 2.00 g/cc with an RV of 1.85 g/cc.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Koepke and Sisters series. Koepke soils lack redox concentrations and are dry in the moisture control section for more than 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Sisters soils do not have horizons of dense glacial till.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Barnellcreek soils are on footslopes and toeslopes of glaciated mountains. These soils formed in glacial till, mainly of granitic origin, with a mantle of volcanic ash and loess. Slopes are 5 to 15 percent. Elevations range from 3,200 to 4,600 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cold, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 18 to 25 inches. The mean January temperature is about 22 degrees F, the mean July temperature is about 63 degrees F, and the mean annual air temperature is about 43 degrees F. The frost-free period is 90 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kegel, Louploup, Mineral, Nevine, and competing Koepke soils. Kegel soils are somewhat poorly drained. Louploup, Mineral, and Nevine soils are all well drained. In addition, Louploup and Nevine soils lack a mollic epipedon. Mineral soils are loamy-skeletal and moderately deep to a lithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; moderate over slow permeability; slow to medium runoff.
USE AND VEGETATION: Timber production, livestock grazing, hay and pasture, wildlife habitat, and watersheds are the principal uses. The native tree species are Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, western larch, and quaking aspen. Understory species include common snowberry, pinegrass, rose, western meadowrue, Virginia strawberry, sticky geranium and sweetscented bedstraw.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Washington. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colville Indian Reservation; Ferry and Okanogan Counties, Washington, 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are a mollic epipedon with a large component of volcanic ash from the mineral surface to 26 inches, and a cambic horizon from 26 to 42 inches. The description reflects a change in classification due to Andisols, from ashy over loamy, mixed, frigid Mollic Vitrandepts to ashy over loamy, mixed, frigid Mollic Vitrixerands.